Alabama just got a much-needed recruiting extension for top DL target

As a procrastinator at heart, there is perhaps no better feeling than kicking the can down the road. Getting an extension on a deadline is one of life’s great joys, and 2026 four-star defensive line recruit Elijah Golden just gave Kalen DeBoer and Alabama that gift. 

Alabama is one of four finalists for Golden, along with Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and Virginia Tech. Still, all indications are that the Crimson Tide have been lagging behind in his recruitment. Now, DeBoer and his staff will have two extra weeks to sway him toward Tuscaloosa after Golden pushed back his scheduled commitment from July 26 to August 9, according to a report from 247Sports’ Tom Loy. 

4-star DL Elijah Golden opens the door for a late surge from Kalen DeBoer

The Tide already has commits from four defensive linemen in the 2026 class, a group that currently numbers 19 and ranks No. 6 in the country. Five-star linebacker Xavier Griffin could count as the fifth, along with Nolan Wilson, Jamarion Matthews, Kamhariyan Johnson, and JJ Finch, but he is more likely to play a hybrid role as an on-and-off-ball linebacker than just as a true edge rusher at the next level. 

Yet, despite already having such a loaded group up front, in a recruiting class that isn’t likely to grow much larger before signing day, the Tide have a few remaining targets on the board. The highest priority is five-star edge rusher Tank Jones, but after him, Golden is likely the program’s top target. 

Golden, the 6-foot-4, 275-pound product of Sarasota, Florida, is the 184th-ranked player in the country by 247Sports Composite and the 26th best defensive lineman. Unlike Jones, who is a traditional edge rusher, Golden has the potential to kick to the inside if he adds weight, line up over the tackle, or even stay on the outside full-time. 

His versatility could be viewed as an asset, or he could be seen as a tweener, not big enough to play the interior and not quick enough to stick on the edge. Regardless, whichever team lands his commitment needs to have a clear plan for his development, and Alabama just got two extra weeks to sell him on theirs. 

If Golden kept his July 26 commitment date, it’s unlikely he would have chosen Alabama. It will still be an uphill battle to land his commitment, but a lot can change in two weeks.